Japan to Issue Notice for Japanese Students in China to Ensure Safety Amid Rising Tensions

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:24 JST, November 18, 2025

The government has announced plans to issue a notice to Japanese students studying at Japanese schools and universities in China to ensure their safety.

Education Minister Yohei Matsumoto announced the move during a press conference on Tuesday following a Cabinet meeting that took place on the same day. “We have decided to take measures to ensure the safety of students, their families and faculty members in China,” he said.

The measure comes as tensions between Japan and China escalate following China’s fierce backlash against Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks at the Diet regarding a potential Taiwan contingency.

According to the education ministry and others, 3,133 students were on short-term study abroad programs from Japanese universities to Chinese universities in fiscal 2023, and 7,078 Japanese students studied at Chinese universities in fiscal 2022.